Immersive showerhead

Abstract

One variation of a showerhead includes: a body defining a fluid circuit, a first region on a ventral side of the body, and a second region adjacent the first region on the ventral side of the body; a set of hollow cone nozzles distributed within the first region, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a first size range; a set of flat fan nozzles arranged within the second region, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a second size range; and a set of orifices fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit and discharging fluid drops between sprays discharged from the set of hollow cone nozzles and sprays discharged from the flat fan nozzles, fluid drops discharged from the set of orifices within a third size range exceeding the first size range and the second size range.

We claim: 
     
       1. A showerhead comprising:
 a body comprising:
 an annular member defining a second region on a ventral side of the body; and 
 a linear member defining a first region adjacent the second region on the ventral side of the body and extending from a first lateral side of the annular member, across a radial center of the annular member, to a second lateral side of the annular member opposite the first lateral side; 
 
 a fluid circuit within the body; 
 a first set of nozzles distributed within the first region, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a first size range according to a first spray pattern; and 
 a second set of nozzles arranged within the second region, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a second size range according to a second spray pattern. 
 
     
     
       2. The showerhead of  claim 1 :
 wherein the first set of nozzles comprises a first nozzle discharging a first conical spray of fluid droplets; 
 further comprising a set of orifices fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit and discharging fluid drops, within a third size range, between sprays discharged from the first set of nozzles and sprays discharged from the second set of nozzles, the third size range exceeding the first size range and the second size range; and 
 wherein the set of orifices comprises a first orifice declined toward the first nozzle and injecting a jet of fluid drops into the first conical spray of fluid droplets proximal an offset distance below the first region of the body, the jet of fluid drops bounded by the first conical spray of fluid droplets beyond the offset distance from the first region of the body. 
 
     
     
       3. The showerhead of  claim 1 :
 wherein the first set of nozzles discharge fluid droplets according to the first spray pattern approximating a hollow cone extending outwardly from the first region; and 
 wherein the second set of nozzles discharge fluid droplets according to the second spray pattern approximating sheets fanning outwardly from the second region coalescing with adjacent sheets of fluid droplets beyond a curtain distance from the body to form a peripheral curtain of fluid droplets that envelopes fluid droplets discharged from the first set of nozzles. 
 
     
     
       4. The showerhead of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of nozzles comprises:
 a first nozzle proximal an anterior end of the body and declined toward the posterior end of the body; 
 a second nozzle proximal a posterior end of the body and declined toward the anterior end of the body; and 
 a third nozzle proximal a lateral side of the body and defining an axis substantially normal to an axis of the body. 
 
     
     
       5. The showerhead of  claim 1 , further comprising a set of full cone nozzles distributed within the first region proximal the first set of nozzles and fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, a first full cone nozzle in the set of full cone nozzles discharging fluid droplets of widths within a third size range distinct from the first size range and the second size range. 
     
     
       6. The showerhead of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises:
 a first section defining the ventral side of the body and comprising a fiber-filled composite; and 
 a second section defining a dorsal side of the body, fused to the first section, and cooperating with the first section to define the fluid circuit. 
 
     
     
       7. The showerhead of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of nozzles comprises a first hollow cone nozzle, a second hollow cone nozzle laterally offset from the first hollow cone nozzle by an offset distance, and a third hollow cone nozzle centered laterally between and longitudinally offset from the first hollow cone nozzle and the second hollow cone nozzle by less than half of the offset distance. 
     
     
       8. A showerhead comprising:
 a body comprising a ventral side and a dorsal side, the ventral side of the body defining a set of orifices; and 
 a fluid circuit insert housed within the body and comprising:
 an inlet port configured to receive fluid under pressure; 
 a set of nozzles, each nozzle in the set of nozzles defining an inlet and an outlet; 
 a manifold extending laterally from the inlet port and defining a serpentine path of substantially uniform cross-sectional area; 
 a set of entry transitions, each entry transition in the set of entry transitions substantially coaxial with a nozzle in the set of nozzles and extending substantially vertically from the inlet of the nozzle toward the dorsal side of the body over a vertical length greater than a minimum vertical flow length; 
 a set of branches, each branch in the set of branches extending laterally from the manifold toward an entry transition in the set of entry transitions over a lateral length greater than a minimum lateral length and substantially perpendicular to axes of the set of entry transitions; and 
 
 wherein each entry transition in the set of entry transitions defines a curvilinear sweep extending from tangent a corresponding branch, in the set of branches, to tangent an inlet of a corresponding nozzle in the set of nozzles. 
 
     
     
       9. A showerhead comprising:
 a body defining a first region on a ventral side of the body and a second region adjacent the first region on the ventral side of the body; 
 a fluid circuit within the body; 
 a first set of nozzles distributed within the first region, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a first size range according to a first spray pattern approximating a cone extending outwardly from the first region of the body; and 
 a second set of nozzles arranged within the second region, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a second size range according to a second spray pattern approximating sheets that fan outwardly from the second region of the body and coalesce beyond a curtain distance from the body to form a peripheral curtain of fluid droplets that envelopes sprays of fluid droplets discharged from the first set of nozzles. 
 
     
     
       10. A showerhead comprising:
 a body defining a first region on a ventral side of the body and a second region adjacent the first region on the ventral side of the body; 
 a fluid circuit within the body; 
 a first set of nozzles distributed within the first region, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a first size range according to a first spray pattern; 
 a second set of nozzles:
 arranged within the second region; 
 fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit; 
 discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a second size range according to a second spray pattern; and 
 comprising:
 a first nozzle proximal an anterior end of the body and declined toward the posterior end of the body; 
 a second nozzle proximal a posterior end of the body and declined toward the anterior end of the body; and 
 a third nozzle proximal a lateral side of the body and defining an axis substantially normal to an axis of the body. 
 
 
 
     
     
       11. The showerhead of  claim 10 :
 wherein the first nozzle discharges a first sheet of fluid droplets substantially parallel to a lateral axis of the body and declined toward the posterior end of the body; 
 wherein the second nozzle discharges a second sheet of fluid droplets substantially parallel to the lateral axis of the body and declined toward the anterior end of the body; and 
 wherein the third nozzle discharges a third sheet of fluid droplets substantially normal to the ventral side of the body. 
 
     
     
       12. The showerhead of  claim 10 :
 wherein the second set of nozzles discharges fluid droplets between 350 micrometers and 800 micrometers in width; and 
 wherein the first set of nozzles discharges fluid droplets between 150 micrometers and 300 micrometers in width. 
 
     
     
       13. A showerhead comprising:
 a body defining a first region on a ventral side of the body and a second region adjacent the first region on the ventral side of the body; 
 a fluid circuit within the body; 
 a first set of nozzles distributed within the first region, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a first size range according to a first spray pattern; 
 a second set of nozzles arranged within the second region, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a second size range according to a second spray pattern; 
 a set of full cone nozzles distributed within the first region proximal the first set of nozzles, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and comprising a first full cone nozzle discharging fluid droplets of widths within a third size range distinct from the first size range and the second size range. 
 
     
     
       14. The showerhead of  claim 13 , wherein the fluid circuit restricts total volume flow rate through the fluid circuit to less than 0.9 gallons per minute. 
     
     
       15. The showerhead of  claim 13 :
 wherein the body defines a first inlet and a second inlet; 
 wherein the fluid circuit comprises:
 a first fluid channel extending from the first inlet to the first set of nozzles; and 
 a second fluid channel extending from the second inlet to the set of full cone nozzles; and 
 a third fluid channel fluidly coupled to the second set of nozzles, fluidly coupled to the first fluid channel. 
 
 
     
     
       16. A showerhead comprising:
 a body defining a first region on a ventral side of the body and a second region adjacent the first region on the ventral side of the body; 
 a fluid circuit within the body; 
 a first set of nozzles:
 distributed within the first region; 
 fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit; 
 discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a first size range according to a first spray pattern; and 
 comprising:
 a first hollow cone nozzle; 
 a second hollow cone nozzle laterally offset from the first hollow cone nozzle by an offset distance; and 
 a third hollow cone nozzle centered laterally between and longitudinally offset from the first hollow cone nozzle and the second hollow cone nozzle by less than half of the offset distance; and 
 
 
 a second set of nozzles arranged within the second region, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a second size range according to a second spray pattern. 
 
     
     
       17. The showerhead of  claim 16 :
 wherein the third hollow cone nozzle is longitudinally offset toward an anterior end of the body; 
 wherein the first hollow cone nozzle, the second hollow cone nozzle, and the third hollow cone nozzle are substantially normal to the first region; 
 further comprising a set of full cone nozzles distributed within the first region proximal the first set of nozzles, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and comprising:
 a first full cone nozzle adjacent an anterior end of the first hollow cone nozzle, 
 a second full cone nozzle adjacent an anterior end of the second hollow cone nozzle, and 
 a third full cone nozzle adjacent a posterior side of the third hollow cone nozzle; 
 
 wherein the first full cone nozzle and the second hollow cone nozzle are declined toward the posterior end of the body; and 
 wherein the third full cone nozzle is declined toward the anterior end of the body. 
 
     
     
       18. A showerhead comprising:
 a body defining a first region on a ventral side of the body wand a second region adjacent the first region on the ventral side of the body; 
 a fluid circuit within the body; 
 a first set of nozzles:
 distributed within the first region; 
 fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit; 
 discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a first size range according to a first spray pattern; and 
 comprising a first nozzle discharging a first conical spray of fluid droplets; 
 
 a second set of nozzles arranged within the second region, fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit, and discharging sprays of fluid droplets within a second size range according to a second spray pattern; and 
 a set of orifices:
 fluidly coupled to the fluid circuit; 
 discharging fluid drops, within a third size range exceeding the first size range and the second size range, between sprays discharged from the first set of nozzles and sprays discharged from the second set of nozzles; and 
 comprising a first orifice declined toward the first nozzle and injecting a jet of fluid drops into the first conical spray of fluid droplets proximal an offset distance below the first region of the body, the jet of fluid drops bounded by the first conical spray of fluid droplets beyond the offset distance from the first region of the body. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The showerhead of  claim 18 , wherein the first orifice comprises a single-orifice pulsed nozzle discharging an intermittent jet of fluid drops into the conical spray of fluid droplets discharged from the first full cone nozzle. 
     
     
       20. The showerhead of  claim 18 :
 wherein the body defines a first inlet, a second inlet, and a third inlet on a dorsal side of the body; and 
 wherein the fluid circuit comprises:
 a first fluid channel extending from the first inlet to the first set of nozzles; 
 a second fluid channel extending from the second inlet to the second set of cone nozzles; and 
 a third fluid channel extending from the third inlet to the set of orifices.